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The Guardian

The Guardian Best Books of the Year 2019

The Guardian Best Books of the Year 2019 names 152 books across 11 categories. 71 of them also won or were shortlisted for an award.

Biography and memoir

  1. Constellations by Sinéad Gleesonsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. I Never Said I Loved You by Rhik Samaddersource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Lowborn by Kerry Hudsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. My Name Is Why by Lemn Sissaysource (opens in a new tab)
  5. On Chapel Sands by Laura Cummingsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Five by Hallie Rubenholdsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Making of Poetry by Adam Nicolsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Three Women by Lisa Taddeosource (opens in a new tab)

Celebrity memoirs

  1. Face It by Debbie Harrysource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Home Work by Julie Andrewssource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Inside Out by Demi Mooresource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Me by Elton Johnsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Beautiful Ones by Princesource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Wham! George and Me by Andrew Ridgeleysource (opens in a new tab)

Crime and thrillers

  1. A Stranger in My Grave by Margaret Millarsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Agent Running in the Field by John le Carrésource (opens in a new tab)
  3. American Spy by Lauren Wilkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Big Sky by Kate Atkinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Blood & Sugar by Laura Shepherd-Robinsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Cruel Acts by Jane Caseysource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Fog Island by Mariette Lindsteinsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Heaven, My Home by Attica Lockesource (opens in a new tab)
  9. In the Cut by Susanna Mooresource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Joe Country by Mick Herronsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Kill [redacted] by Anthony Goodsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Metropolis by Philip Kerrsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Never Be Broken by Sarah Hilarysource (opens in a new tab)
  14. Scrublands by Chris Hammersource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Take It Back by Kia Abdullahsource (opens in a new tab)
  16. The Border by Don Winslowsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. The Chain by Adrian McKintysource (opens in a new tab)
  18. The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewellsource (opens in a new tab)
  19. The Godmother by Hannelore Cayresource (opens in a new tab)
  20. The Guilty Party by Mel McGrathsource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Hunting Party by Lucy Foleysource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Listening Walls by Margaret Millarsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Whisper Man by Alex Northsource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Wych Elm by Tana Frenchsource (opens in a new tab)
  25. To the Lions by Holly Wattsource (opens in a new tab)
  26. Worst Case Scenario by Helen Fitzgeraldsource (opens in a new tab)

Fiction

  1. An American Marriage by Tayari Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthisource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Copenhagen Trilogy by Tove Ditlevsensource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Crossing by Pajtim Statovcisource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Death Is Hard Work by Khaled Khalifasource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmannsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Aknersource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristosource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Grand Union by Zadie Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Inland by Téa Obrehtsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. Lanny by Max Portersource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luisellisource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Olive, Again by Elizabeth Stroutsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuongsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williamssource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Salt Slow by Julia Armfieldsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Spring by Ali Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  18. Stalingrad by Vasily Grossmansource (opens in a new tab)
  19. Sudden Traveller by Sarah Hallsource (opens in a new tab)
  20. Sweet Home by Wendy Erskinesource (opens in a new tab)
  21. The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collinssource (opens in a new tab)
  22. The Dutch House by Ann Patchettsource (opens in a new tab)
  23. The Heavens by Sandra Newmansource (opens in a new tab)
  24. The Man Who Saw Everything by Deborah Levysource (opens in a new tab)
  25. The Memory Police by Yōko Ogawasource (opens in a new tab)
  26. The Nickel Boys by Colson Whiteheadsource (opens in a new tab)
  27. The Porpoise by Mark Haddonsource (opens in a new tab)
  28. The Second Sleep by Robert Harrissource (opens in a new tab)
  29. The Snakes by Sadie Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  30. The Testaments by Margaret Atwoodsource (opens in a new tab)
  31. The Topeka School by Ben Lernersource (opens in a new tab)
  32. To Calais, in Ordinary Time by James Meeksource (opens in a new tab)
  33. Where Reasons End by Yiyun Lisource (opens in a new tab)
  34. Will and Testament by Vigdis Hjorthsource (opens in a new tab)
  35. You Know You Want This by Kristen Roupeniansource (opens in a new tab)
  36. Your Duck Is My Duck by Deborah Eisenbergsource (opens in a new tab)

Food and drink

  1. Black Axe Mangal by Lee Tiernansource (opens in a new tab)
  2. From Bombay with Love by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar and Naved Nasirsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. From the Oven to the Table by Diana Henrysource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Greenfeast: Autumn, Winter by Nigel Slatersource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Nothing Fancy by Alison Romansource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Pasta Grannies by Vicky Bennisonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Sour by Mark Diaconosource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Taverna by Georgie Haydensource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Food of Sichuan by Fuchsia Dunlopsource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Island Kitchen by Selina Periampillaisource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Way We Eat Now by Bee Wilsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. Veg by Jamie Oliversource (opens in a new tab)
  13. Women on Food by Charlotte Druckmansource (opens in a new tab)

Graphic novels

  1. A Puff of Smoke by Sarah Lippettsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Americana by Luke Healysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Clyde Fans by Sethsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Hot Comb by Ebony Flowerssource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Is This How You See Me? by Jaime Hernandezsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. King of King Court by Travis Dandrosource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Peterloo: Witness to a Massacre by Robert Poole, Eva Schlunke and Paul Fitzgeraldsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Rusty Brown by Chris Waresource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Book of Forks by Rob Davissource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Man Without Talent by Yoshiharu Tsugesource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The River at Night by Kevin Huizengasource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Tempest by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neillsource (opens in a new tab)

Poetry

  1. After the Formalities by Anthony Anaxagorousource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminskysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Erato by Deryn Rees-Jonessource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Kingdomland by Rachael Allensource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Split by Juana Adcocksource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Surge by Jay Bernardsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Tradition by Jericho Brownsource (opens in a new tab)

Politics

  1. Airhead by Emily Maitlissource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Decline and Fail by John Cracesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Engines of Privilege by Francis Green and Philip Kynastonsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. For the Record by David Cameronsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. Guest House for Young Widows by Azadeh Moavenisource (opens in a new tab)
  6. May at 10 by Anthony Seldonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. People Get Ready! by Christine Berry and Joe Guinansource (opens in a new tab)
  8. She Speaks by Yvette Coopersource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Windrush Betrayal by Amelia Gentlemansource (opens in a new tab)
  10. Truth to Power by Jess Phillipssource (opens in a new tab)

Science fiction and fantasy

  1. A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombiesource (opens in a new tab)
  2. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martinesource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Always North by Vicki Jarrettsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon Jamessource (opens in a new tab)
  5. City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anderssource (opens in a new tab)
  6. Doggerland by Ben Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Exhalation by Ted Chiangsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. Infinite Detail by Tim Maughansource (opens in a new tab)
  9. The Archive of Alternate Endings by Lindsey Dragersource (opens in a new tab)
  10. The Future of Another Timeline by Annalee Newitzsource (opens in a new tab)
  11. The Migration by Helen Marshallsource (opens in a new tab)
  12. The Pursuit of William Abbey by Claire Northsource (opens in a new tab)
  13. The Rosewater Redemption by Tade Thompsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  14. The Starless Sea by Erin Morgensternsource (opens in a new tab)
  15. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstonesource (opens in a new tab)
  16. Wanderers by Chuck Wendigsource (opens in a new tab)
  17. Waste Tide by Chen Qiufansource (opens in a new tab)

Science, nature and ideas

  1. Choked by Beth Gardinersource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Horizon by Barry Lopezsource (opens in a new tab)
  3. Human Compatible by Stuart Russellsource (opens in a new tab)
  4. Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perezsource (opens in a new tab)
  5. No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunbergsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. On Fire by Naomi Kleinsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. Superior by Angela Sainisource (opens in a new tab)
  8. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboffsource (opens in a new tab)
  9. Underland by Robert Macfarlanesource (opens in a new tab)

Sport

  1. Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenaultsource (opens in a new tab)
  2. Homing by Jon Daysource (opens in a new tab)
  3. How Not to Be a Professional Racing Driver by Jason Platosource (opens in a new tab)
  4. In Sunshine Or in Shadow by Donald McRaesource (opens in a new tab)
  5. The Beast, the Emperor and the Milkman by Harry Pearsonsource (opens in a new tab)
  6. The Great Romantic by Duncan Hamiltonsource (opens in a new tab)
  7. The Judge by Robin Smithsource (opens in a new tab)
  8. They Don’t Teach This by Eniola Alukosource (opens in a new tab)

About the The Guardian Best Books of the Year

The Guardian's year-end picks, one list per category, each chosen by a Guardian critic (fiction, crime, science fiction and fantasy, poetry, biography, politics, nature, food, sport, children's, graphic novels and others). 2009-2012 lists ran as critics' Christmas books-for-giving pieces. Left out: Observer pieces (a separate source here), roundups where many writers or public figures each name favourites, readers' and publishers' picks, stocking fillers and gift guides, books a critic panned, and picks with no named author. theguardian.com's robots.txt bars Claude crawlers, so pages were read through the Wayback Machine. Missing: 2006-2008 (no qualifying critic list found) and some categories in 2009-2014 and 2016-2017 that Wayback did not capture or index. Approved for use by the site owner on 2026-11-05.

Organization: The Guardian. Official site (opens in a new tab)

The most recommended books of 2019